What to do in Barcelona in February 2019

I wish I received a euro for every time I get asked the question “When is a quiet time to go to Barcelona?”. If you are willing to put up with a bit of chilly weather, February can be a great time to drop by our beautiful city. Let’s see what to do in Barcelona in February and what to expect if you visit at this time of the year.

Events and Festivals in Barcelona in February 2019

Santa Eulàlia Festival 2019 (February 9th to 12th)

Santa Eulàlia is the patron saint of Barcelona City and lived here in the Roman period. At the beginning of the 4th century the intolerant Roman Emperor Diocletian ordered the persecution of the Christians in his empire. This led to the 13 year old Eulàlia being arrested, tortured and finally crucified. Canonised in 633, you can find her entombed in the crypt of the Cathedral of Barcelona which is named after her. In the 17th century she lost her popularity with the citizens of Barcelona who started to hold La Mercè (Our Lady of Mercy) in higher regard. The main festival of Barcelona is in honour of Mary (September 24th) and it has a strange tendency to rain on that day. Locals believe that it is the tears of poor old forgotten Saint Eulàlia. Not completely abandoned, festivities occur around her feast day on February 12th, becoming the Barcelona Winter Festival.

The Ajuntament (Town Hall), a stunning building, throws open its doors to the general public on February 12th, Saint Eulàlia’s Day. Other selected museums will also offer free entrance while the crypt of the Cathedral opens its creaky iron gates only on this special day. This is a rare opportunity to closely view the beautifully 15th century carved sarcophagus with the saint’s remains supposedly still inside. Check out the programme of the week’s activities where you will find gegants (giants), castells (human towers), sardanas (traditional dance) and correfocs (fire runs) amongst other things.

Barcelona Carnival 2019 (February 28th to March 6th)

The date of this festivity varies according to the date that Easter falls on. Coming from the Latin expression carne vale (farewell to meat), it is a time of indulgence before the start of lent. Carnival officially starts on Dijous Gras (Greasy Thursday) and the idea is to eat and drink as much as you can before the 40 days of fasting begins. The King Carnival ceremony kicks off the week long celebration. In Barcelona there is no longer one big parade as each neighbourhood hosts its own small one. Most Barcelonans looking for a more spectacular experience will head 15 km away to the seaside town of Sitges. The locals take huge pride in this event and the gorgeous costumes and party attitude are certainly worth the trip

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Chinese New Year celebration (February 5th)

With 19,000 members, the Chinese community in Barcelona is big enough to celebrate the arrival of the New Year. In 2019 that very special day is February 5th. If Catalonia and Barcelona are famous for its endless dragons (thank you Saint George!), the Chinese have a word to say here. Head towards the area around Arc de Triomf where all the activities take place. There is a Dragons street parade at 11.30am and a fair with food stalls and shows until 8pm that evening (times and dates for 2018 edition. It will be updated shortly). Happy Year of the Dog!

Half Marathon of Barcelona 2019 (February 10th)

Those of you interested in running or watching others doing a hard slog, don’t miss this event on February 10th. A different way of sightseeing, this 20km run should keep you in shape and allow you guilt free gorging of tapas afterwards. If planning to take part, you need to pre-register 2 weeks before the marathon begins. A great thing to do in Barcelona in February… for the fit ones anyway.

Barcelona Weather in February

We rarely get below 0ºC and temperatures average at 10ºC (50ºF). Be warned clear days with the sun shinning can be quite warm and other overcast days with northerly winds can cut to the bone. In other words, pack enough thermals and jumpers. There is not much rain in Barcelona in February but take an umbrella as the downpours are on the raise this month (nearly 50mm).

Accommodation and queues

Off season always means cheaper prices to lay your head at night. Make sure you don’t collide with major concerts or big event such as the Mobile World Congress (February 25th to February 28th) as rates will rise steeply. Popular sites that usually have long lines of patiently waiting tourists miraculously seem to dissolve. You can get away without booking tickets online to avoid big queues. However, be aware that Saturdays and Sundays are busier with local visitors.

I hope this helps if you are planning to visit Barcelona in February and, for all the photographers among you, keep an eye out for those beautiful winter sunsets. If you are also here for a few days in January or March don’t forget to check our posts with recommendations for January and for March. Remember that our Free Walking Tours run all year around and we also offer Private Tours in low season.

VISITING OTHER CITIES IN EUROPE?

Why not check out if your next destination is one of our European partners. There are two main associations offering Free Waking Tours around Europe and we are a proud member of both. The cities involved in these two projects are hand-picked for their quality and commitment while preserving that special feeling that only a local company can give.

WE SUPPORT RESPONSIBLE TOURISM

We are advocates of responsible tourism. On our tours we are always sure we respect the local neighbourhoods and we only collaborate with small Barcelona businesses which help support the local economy. These are our friends and personal recommendations so you can’t go wrong with them.
Don’t forget to also check also our recommendations for Free Things to do in Barcelona.